DESIGN FOR LIFE

I really enjoyed the BBC documentary last night focusing on the life and work of Australian designer Marc Newson.  If you missed it, bad luck. He has a captivating manner and, in spite of his astonishing creativity, was able to explain his motivations and passions in layman’s terms. He wasn’t dumbing down, but rather letting us all into his own little secret - that simplicity and function constitute the key to great design:

“People ask me where creativity happens. For me it’s about aspiring to something functional and then joining the dots. Creativity is the space between the dots."

The program, presented by Alan Yentob, was absorbing for a number of reasons. For a start, the breadth of Newson’s output - he has designed restaurants, boutiques, coat hangers, vibrators, surfboards, bottle openers, cars and marble tables. Furthermore, the guy is likeable. Despite his familiar Lockheed Lounge chairs (see below, one of only 13) going for up to £2.4m each, he remains down to earth and humble, a rarity for one with such prodigious talent. Newson has designed for Ford, Nike, G-Star, Dom Perignon, Alessi and many more. And on top of that he is currently Creative Director at Qantas Airlines and responsible for plane interiors and First Class lounges. If I win the lottery I’ll book a first class trip to Sydney for the soul purpose of immersing myself in his work.